If you’ve been on this site before you know that I’m concerned that the “4th estate” in America is possibly the biggest challenge for those of us who are fighting the 35+ year move to the “right” that was initiated with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980.  I’ve been reading (over the past 10 years or so) book after book in an attempt to better understand what is happening to the country I love.  In fact, in Hedrick Smith’s “Who Stole the American Dream” a compelling case is made that the deterioration started with a memo by future Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell, referred to as the “Powell Memorandum,” which was essentially a “call to arms” for corporate America to seize control of the American political landscape in 1972.  So, whether the “beginning” of the downfall of America’s middle class began with Powell’s memo or the election of Reagan, the reality is that we are at a SERIOUS “turning point” in our nation’s history.

And, I believe, the corporate “masters” figured out that the television media was the “tool” that would get them the “prize” – which is COMPLETE control of the government that most of them profess to hate.  Our media outlets, since Bill Clinton (yes, Democrat Clinton) signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 have been compressed into the control of a handful (or two) of right wing corporations who have inundated “we the people” with falsehoods, misinformation, innuendo, and outright LIES in a propaganda scheme of GIGANTIC proportions (most of us don’t even know what’s “hit us”) that has the potential to turn America into a fascist state as early as November of 2016.  Of course, to those behind this scheme, it’s been a long (and expensive) push to turn this nation from the country the world looked to for leadership to a country that the world is looking to in udder amazement – wondering what the @#% is going in “The Land of the Free?”

This absolutely could not be happening without the “help” of the “liberal media” (by now, anyone who’s been here knows the absurdity of that phrase – “liberal media” is a great example of the success of the propaganda scheme – research Joseph Goebbels “Big Lie Theory” to understand how they’ve accomplished this important part of the “scheme”) which is led by Fox “news” – a blatant arm of the right wing of the republican party.  Unfortunately, in our world of profits and “shareholder value” the other “players” in what’s become a 24/7 “news” cycle on cable television are falling all over themselves trying to get ratings and viewers and, the last thing (apparently) any of these outlets wants to do is to offend the “big players” by telling the truth.  The contrast between Fox, for example, and MSNBC – the supposed “liberal” balance  to them has become so blurred that I have come to the conclusion that MSNBC may be MORE dangerous than Fox.

Fox “news” is obvious in their support for the “push to the right.”  They make no attempt to hide their participation in the Goebbels like propaganda scheme where if you repeat a LIE often enough people begin to believe it is true.  Republican operatives, for years, have been sent out to various “news” outlets with the SAME key words in their “talking points” as they HAMMER their agenda down the unsuspecting “throats” of America’s public – and, it’s always traceable back to Fox.  I can’t tell you how many adults I’ve met in the past 20 years who believe they are informed – to the point where you can’t even have a civilized discussion with them – based on misinformation coming from Fox or the Fox “wannabees.”

MSNBC, on the other hand, was once the “home” of Keith Olberman – who was unafraid in calling out the propagandists and their benefactors – and other unabashedly “liberal” leaning “hosts” of what has evolved to entertainment that seems to create news as opposed to reporting it.  MSNBC still has Rachel Maddow who is an unapologetic “liberal,” and a couple others I can listen to – Lawrence O’Donnell and Chris Hayes – but their messaging is becoming such a subtle “enabler” of right wing bluster – with little to no “backlash” – that I’m beginning to think they are actually more dangerous than Fox.  I’m sure there are many “progressives” that are “trusting” MSNBC to be fully vetting, for instance, the presidential race.  I’m not so sure.

I listen to MSNBC (because of the lack of alternatives) when I’m driving my car (XM radio) and this morning, for example, there was a person (I don’t know his name) who was commenting on the “moderate republican” John Kasich – as if Kasich was the sensible alternative to Trump, Cruz, Rubio, and the others.  He emphasized that Kasich has a “positive” message.  And, of course, that’s exactly what Kasich would have you (and me) believe.  The “host” gave NO real information about (the real) Kasich because, evidently, we can’t even get that on the “liberal” “news” outlet.  The day prior, I listened to Chris Matthews interview Kasich and it was like a couple friends having a casual discussion with little more than an occasional direct question from Matthews aimed at drawing out the “real” John Kasich with less than candid responses to those questions by Kasich.  In other words, these two segments of MSNBC “news” could very well leave the impression in the minds of people who consider themselves “progressive” (which is why they’d be listening to MSNBC in the first place) that John Kasich is a reasonable alternative if we “must” have a republican president.  Yikes!

Here’s some of what they didn’t say – or in the case of Matthews – draw out.  Kasich is a “regular” attendee of the annual fundraising “galas” put on by Charles and David Koch.  That, in itself, should tell you all you need to know.  But, from a practical point of view, since the “Tea Party” uprising Kasich has participated in the republican attempt to suppress voter turnout in Ohio, he’s made a push (that, thankfully, his Ohio constituents resisted successfully) to limit bargaining rights of public employees (similar to the now infamous Scott Walker in Wisconsin) and – this WAS (kind of) brought out by Matthews – Kasich is a dangerous WAR HAWK.  His “bluster” would imply that he’s “itching” for a confrontation with Vladimir Putin over the issue in Ukraine AND he’s a proponent of “boots on the ground” in Syria (and, presumably Iraq and Libya).  In other words, for those who believe GW Bush/Dick Cheney were brilliant to invade Iraq, turn the Middle East into a disastrous military quagmire, and believe “we the people” can solve the age old Sunni/Shia/Kurd problems in the world, then Kasich is the “moderate” alternative (I guess) to Cruz – who claims he’ll turn the sand in Syria to a bright glowing red!

Here’s what I feel I’ve been “getting” from MSNBC during this election cycle.  (Of course, I know what you’re thinking – in America now, because of the money involved, election cycles are NEVER ENDING) Republican this, Republican that.  Crammed down my unwilling throat.  I really don’t understand why the “liberal” “news” outlet spends the bulk of their air time promoting Donald Trump (with virtually NO vetting), Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and now Kasich FAR MORE than keeping tabs on the actual race being run by those proclaiming to be “liberal” or “progressive.”  MSNBC has given an unbelievable amount of (free) airtime to Donald Trump while limiting the “reporting” of the “race” between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders to an occasional soundbite and an infrequent interview.  Obviously, those running MSNBC are perfectly OK with a republican winning the White House in 2016 as long as their ratings hang in there.  I guess they’re trying to be more “fair and balanced” than Fox.

Wouldn’t it be nice, for example, if they’d actually do some INVESTIGATIVE reporting.  I’d like to know, for example, some of the details of the frequent BANKRUPTCIES of Donald Trump (not to mention something SPECIFIC about what it means to govern – besides, people will fear me, or “I know how to negotiate,” or “I’m smart”).  I’d like to know, if they want to talk about Ted Cruz, whey EVERYONE in Washington DC HATES him, where his money comes from, and who is supporting him behind the scenes – and, how SPECIFICALLY is Cruz going to solve the inequality issue or what is he going to replace the ACA with?  The same with Rubio – I’d love to see a list of all the things these people have spewed out of their mouths on the campaign trail the contradicts their own positions in the past (and, yes, feel free to do the same with Clinton and Sanders).  What is bothering me the most is when the supposed “liberal” alternative to Fox is propping up members of the so-called “clown car” as if they’re legitimate candidates for president of this great nation – people who deserve to have the code to the nuclear arsenal.  Ted Cruz – are you kidding me?  Trump? Rubio? Kasich? Yikes – what is going on here?

With the passing of Antonin Scalia the stakes in this election just got much higher.  And, I can guarantee you the “puppet masters” pulling the strings behind the republican candidates will infuse however much MONEY they deem necessary to win this election.  They’ll pull out all the stops.  They’ll be trying to suppress as many democratic leaning voters as possible (some estimates say they will prevent between five and ten MILLION people from voting) and they’ll be buying up MOST of the available airtime in key areas around the nation in their attempt to fulfill the dream of the Kochs (and people like Karl Rove) for the “permanent Republican ‘majority.'”  (and, stations like MSNBC will reap the benefit by selling that airtime to the highest bidder with little to no regard for validity)  Now that the right wing has “lost” control of the Supreme Court, this election is of even MORE importance to them – simply because Supreme Court Justices are on the bench for their lifetime (if they so choose).  This is why republicans will do everything they can to prevent President Obama from fulfilling his (and their) obligation to appoint (and confirm) a replacement for Justice Scalia in a timely fashion.  (So, when Bernie Sanders wins the election, they’ll be looking back and wishing they’d let Obama fill the vacancy – that’s a PREDICTION)  If you haven’t figured this out, the Court is part of the “Trifecta” that gives them the “permanent republican ‘majority.'”  Congress, the Courts, and the White House.

I’ll end this rant by saying that no one that’s paying attention fails to understand the partisan position of Fox “news.”  (Of course, this excludes their regular viewers, because they’re clearly NOT paying attention if they continue to get sucked into the Fox propaganda scheme)  On the other hand,  the rightward leanings of MSNBC are subtle enough to be, in my view, more dangerous than the outright divisiveness of Fox!  I’m still trying to figure out the motive of those running MSNBC – I “get” that Comcast purchased NBC about the time they started “purging” voices like Olberman and later Ed Schultz –  It’s finally dawned on me that pretending to be something you’re not is a much more effective way of brainwashing people – and, for those of us who are sick of the endless – unwinnable – wars, the flood of corporate money into politics – and, the politicians who take the money and oppose the “will of the people” – along with the distinct possibility of a corporate/government “partnership” that mirrors Mussolini fascism, I believe what MSNBC has apparently transpired into is far more dangerous to “we the people” than Fox.  As I’ve stated many times on this site – the election of 2016 will determine once and for all whether America is a “we” nation or a “me” nation.  Those who favor the former are numerous, those who favor the latter are few, they’re sophisticated, and they have UNLIMITED amounts of MONEY.  Beware!

While driving home from work today I tuned into MSNBC on my satellite radio (sometimes I just can’t help myself) and listened as the commentators continue their endless discussion of the presidential race for the democratic and republican nominations for the 2016 election. Apparently, that’s the only thing that’s “newsworthy” anymore – except, of course, once an hour they will refer to something else evidently in an attempt to keep people like me thinking they are “reporting” news. As I listen to this “stuff” I can’t help but think that someone somewhere is picturing in their minds how they can “mold” the listeners (or viewers, in this case – because, I believe, on XM radio you get the audio of the MSNBC video) to a “secret” outcome. We, as listeners (viewers) are left to either wonder what the “real” intent of the “outlet” is (in this case – MSNBC) or to BLINDLY allow ourselves to be “guided” to a place that accommodates the “needs” of the “outlet.” (again, in this case – MSNBC)

With that being said, today’s topic – pretty much the entire trip home (about 30 minutes) – was about the effect of race in the upcoming primary in South Carolina and, to a lessor extent, beyond. The focus of the MSNBC moderator (apologies, I can only say it was a female and it wasn’t Rachel Maddow) was on the contest between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. She (the moderator) was referencing the different “endorsements” recently received by both the Sanders and Clinton campaigns – for example: Sanders received the endorsement of Harry Belefonte and Clinton, this morning, received the endorsement of the Congressional Black Caucus PAC. As I was listening to all this – and, the moderator said something like they were discussing the effect of race on this upcoming election – I couldn’t help but think that the only way the African American community in America can lose would be if either one of the two – Clinton or Sanders – does not prevail in November.

The reason I’m bringing this up is because we probably won’t get much of a dialogue on how race will affect the republican primary – presumably because the assumption is that very few African Americans will be voting republican. To me, when we’re discussing the effect of race on the upcoming election cycle, the focus should be MORE on the republicans than on the democrats. For example, earlier today I heard an “expert” analyst point out that a significant percentage of South Carolina republicans are in an “anti-establishment” mood because of the removal of the Confederate Flag from the State Capital. When we’re discussing the issue of race in this election, instead of focusing on who’s endorsing Clinton or Sanders, I believe we should be talking about why it is a “given” that African American voters vote democratic.

Should Sanders or Clinton be the next President, I believe the present make-up of our Congress will continue to make it EXTREMELY difficult if not IMPOSSIBLE to enact legislation that is actually designed to address the deplorable circumstances so MANY African Americans face in today’s “reality.” When you have a leading candidate (Donald Trump) who’s very casual about spewing racist dialogue and you have exit polls in New Hampshire (a mostly “white” state) suggesting 2/3’s of the republican voters favor not allowing Muslims to enter this country, and – in South Carolina – a “significant number of republicans” want that Confederate flag flying on the Capitol flag pole then that, to me, identifies where the discussion should be when we’re talking about how “race” will affect this next election.

I’ve been writing about this since President Obama took the oath of office, but our “liberal media” seemingly doesn’t REALLY want to talk about the issue of race – at least in an HONEST way that actually looks at reality. The verbal ABUSE leveled on our president which is laced with everything from subliminal racist innuendo to outright overt racism has been disappointing, discouraging, shocking, – I’m trying to think of the right word – to me. The reality of my own situation is that I’m so embedded with what Thom Hartman (and others who are much more aware and knowledgeable than me) refers to as “White Privilege” that I was totally naive to the reality of the level of racism in America when President Obama was elected. I still remember thinking: “I didn’t think I would live long enough to see an African American elected president” – in a way that implied my thought process was along the lines of “we’ve come a long way, baby.”

However, President Obama’s election simply brought those with racist leanings (there are many degrees, as I see it – from those who are totally unaware of their own issue to the people who are overtly racist) RACING out from under the “rocks.” And, our “liberal media” is either part of the problem or they simply don’t have the intellectual capacity to HONESTLY evaluate their own cognitive thinking. To me, that’s why the focus of MSNBC in talking about how race is affecting the primary election process, they focus on the contest between Sanders and Clinton questioning whether or not Bernie Sanders can make inroads into African American community in a way that translates into votes. Yes, I believe if Sanders is to prevail, he’ll need to do that – BUT the FOCUS of how “race” will affect this coming election should be, in my mind, on the republican party and WHY African Americans, Latino’s, and other “minority” groups predominantly vote democratic. And, I would suggest that it’s because they’re voting AGAINST republicans as much as they are voting for democrats. In my lifetime, while democrats clearly better represent the needs of the African American community, the TRUTH is (at least as I see it) that those living in our large “inner cities” aren’t much better off today than they were in days when people like me were participating in the Civil Rights movement back in the 60’s.

And, I’m saying that as an indictment on myself and others like me – white, “baby boomers” who have a tendency to vote for President and then go back to focusing on our own situation and not giving the person we voted for the support needed to actually “make a difference.” I say that because, whether it’s Clinton or Sanders in the White House starting in 2017, not much will happen if “we the people” can’t PURGE the Congress of all the OBSTRUCTIONISTS who put their own power and the POWER of their moneyed benefactors before the good of the country. “We the people” allowed the so-called “Tea Party” to take over the House of Representatives and their racist tendencies have not been very well “cloaked in secrecy” – if you’re paying attention at all. Presently, I’m re-reading “Sons of Wichita” a book about the now infamous “Koch Brothers” and, after reading this book, you can see the “fingerprints” of two of these brothers (Charles and David) all over some of the absolutely WORST parts of the last 35 years of American politics.

The Kochs funded the “Tea Party” movement and I still remember former South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, now the head of the Koch’s Heritage Foundation, giving an anti-Obama speech (you know, one of the republicans who were openly claiming their number one goal was Obama’s “failure”) in front of a Tea Party audience. As the camera perused the members of the audience there was one disgusting RACIST sign after another depicting our President in a plethora of demeaning ways that implied he was a ……. (well, I’ll let you fill in the blanks – two words). Of course, DeMint not only didn’t discourage the sign carriers, he encouraged them – ginned them up. Honestly, it made me sick to my stomach and gave me even more compassion on what my Black friends have endured during their lifetimes. These people were claiming allegiance to the Bible and the Constitution while spewing their racial hatred. I still get angry just writing about it.

Of course, the derogatory comments – again both subliminal and outright overt – have continued since the day President Obama won the election back in 2008. Now we’ve got a bunch of republican candidates who, one after the other, are throwing out the “code” to make sure their “base” knows they can be depended on to make sure we never have a non-white person in the “White House” again. I don’t know why this is so hard for anyone who’s a legit “investigative reporter” to figure out. Have any of them even given thought to what the republican candidates mean when they ALL say “we’re going to take our country back.” If that’s not sinking in, just give it a bit more thought. I mean, seriously, they’re going to take it back from what?

Or, they also say, “I’m going to make America great again.” When I hear that one I often times want to scream at my TV set (if I’m actually watching them “debate”) “Do you mean make it great like it was under GW Bush/Dick Cheney?” Barack Obama inherited a MESS that any sane person would have chosen to leave for someone else to clean up. And, working with a Congress that has been, for the most part, led by those whose number one goal is the president’s FAILURE, it is remarkable what has happened with the deficit, for example, since President Obama took office. While republicans were quick to blame (Bush/Cheney’s) deficits on President Obama you certainly now don’t see them pointing out that our president has presided over an economy that’s reduced the annual deficit by in excess of $1 TRILLION. So, if being “Great Again” doesn’t mean going back to the deficit spending and militarism of the Bush/Cheney regime, what does it mean? (I’ll let you figure that one out)

The middle class in America came into the “cross-hairs” of the republican party in 1980 when Ronald Reagan was elected president. They’ve been “cutting taxes and (NOT) balancing the budgets” ever since. They’ve convinced the American public (through their propaganda scheme via Fox “news,” Rush Limbaugh et al, and control of the “fourth estate”) that it’s the democrats, for example, who’ve caused the issue with budget deficits. Just like Bill Clinton took the ridiculously HIGH deficits of the Reagan/Bush I era down to ZERO and then left office with a SURPLUS of $250 BILLION per year – that, had Bush/Cheney continued the policy they [us] would have virtually paid off the national debt in 10 – 15 years – Instead, Bush/Cheney turned that SURPLUS into a MASSIVE deficit of over a TRILLION dollars/year by the time they left office. Since Obama took office republicans have been CLAMORING that the high deficits are going to ruin the country, but the REALITY is that during President Obama’s administration the deficit, as stated above, has been reduced over a TRILLION dollars and is presently below the “pre Great Recession” levels. Republicans are STILL claiming they will “cut taxes and balance the budget!” I can’t believe the American people will fall for this absurd “line” AGAIN! Don’t believe me, click HERE.

I’ll end this rant be saying I’m hoping that Donald Trump is incorrect when he states, “The American voting public is ‘stupid.'”  If you’re at all concerned about the condition of race in today’s America I believe the focus should be on the republican party and why very few “people of color” vote for them.  Yes, I hope that Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have a vigorous debate that includes the well being of those who would be referred to as (In Jesus’ words) “The least of these” (and, yes, this group includes people of all “colors”) and I hope that when elected one of them will change the direction of this nation in regard to those “at the bottom.”  I believe Bernie Sanders is ABSOLUTELY correct when he calls out those “at the top” for their GREED and their unwillingness to address the terrible income inequality in today’s America.  And, I think it’s disgusting that one of our major parties can’t field a single candidate with the courage to tell it like it is in regards to all the racial “coding” that seems to dominate their “debates.”  So, the sad reality is that the only way for Sanders or Clinton to succeed is if we vote republicans in Congress OUT of office!

Final Note: Antonin Scalia, the most conservative (and racist) jurist on the Supreme Court died today, presumably leaving the court with 8 jurists and with a lot of 4 – 4 deadlocks until next year.  I’ll have more to say on Scalia (after all the “mourning” of those in Washington DC who will fail to HONESTLY look at his record) later – but, this makes the 2016 election even MORE IMPORTANT.  As I’ve stated many times on this site, the next president could be appointing several Supreme Court justices, and any one of the republican candidates will only further decisions like Citizens United (or Bush v Gore), and the others that have pushed this nation closer and closer to a fascist state.  If you think like I do, tell your friends to get registered and to make sure they plan to vote in 2016.  The ONLY way republicans win is if the American people choose to stay away from the polls!

I’m feeling as if this election (2016) for President is the most important one in my voting lifetime (since 1968) and, therefore, I’m trying to “keep up” with the process as it unfolds. From the beginning (and, if you’ve been on this site, it will come as no surprise) I’ve been pointing out that there’s not ONE Republican candidate that I even consider as someone who SHOULD have a place on the stage. Yet, there’s still close to TEN of them claiming they want to “make America great again,” or they want to “take our country back,” (I’m guessing you understand the “code” of that message) or any number of cliche’s that have any meaning, from a practical standpoint, whatsoever. Of course, from a policy standpoint, you have Donald Trump claiming he’s going to “build a wall on our southern border AND Mexico’s going to pay for it,” or “No Muslims will enter the U.S. until ‘we figure this out,'” or we’re going to “register all Muslims,” or, because occasionally foreign policy “pops up,” you’ve got Ted Cruz saying, “I will carpet bomb Syria until the sand is glowing bright red.” (or something along those lines) I listened to Marco Rubio the other day (of course blaming President Obama for EVERYTHING) and he came across as such a “slimy” disingenuous person that my stomach had a similar reaction to when I try to listen to Rush Limbaugh.

Then, today, I heard an excerpt from a speech given by Ted Cruz, who “won” the Iowa caucuses, where he BLAMED the Flint Michigan water crisis (along with the Hurricane Katrina DISASTER) on “generations of liberal democratic government” – or something very similar to that. Of course, he failed to mention GW Bush in his reference to Hurricane Katrina – and, of course, republican governor Jindal (honestly, to me that one had so many “Pinocchio’s” that it was off the charts) and, in Flint Michigan evidently Cruz doesn’t understand that Governor Snyder (another of the right wing “Tea Party” Republicans elected with the help of the now infamous “Koch Brothers”) in Michigan has managed to create a mini fascist state where he can send in his “cronies” and override the elected officials ANYWHERE in Michigan where it’s determined, evidently by him, that there’s an economic crisis – which is EXACTLY what happened in Flint a few years back. And, of course, Cruz failed to mention it’s the Snyder “cronies” who decided to save a little money by switching the source of Flint’s water CAUSING the present CRISIS (in an effort to “save money”). This is not even disputable! Of course, Cruz (and the rest of them) is/are so busy blaming democrats for EVERYTHING that they don’t have time, apparently, to actually figure out the TRUTH. (Here’s where I might blame democrats: How is governor Snyder able to get away with this?)

But, it’s not this collection of DANGEROUS candidates – who, in any other era in my lifetime, NONE of them would be considered viable (well, Jeb Bush might have been prior to people being introduced to his brother – apparently, even republicans have had enough of the Bush clan!) that is bothering me so much as this all plays out. The real rub for me, as I continue to observe this process, is the state of deterioration of the “4th estate” in America. The Fox “brainwashing” has become so severe that it has permeated well beyond the audiences who’ve “bought into” the “fair and balanced” baloney. When I can stomach watching (or listening) to “news” I keep telling myself that MSNBC is supposed to be the “counter effect” of the Fox propaganda “machine.” From the days of Keith Olberman I thought, while there’s obviously bias, at least it’s “tilted” a bit to the left. Of course, Olberman was FIRED shortly after (I believe it was) Comcast (that) usurped NBC and since then the “tilt” on that source of “news” has started leaning back toward the “right.” With the exception of Rachel Maddow (most of the time), and to a certain degree Chris Hayes and Laurence O’Donnell, the voices on MSNBC seem more concerned with “ratings” than anything resembling “investigative reporting.”

For weeks I couldn’t turn on that channel without a constant barrage of Trump this, Trump that, Trump Trump Trump. Why? well evidently because Trump was a great source of ratings. Now, it appears that Mr. Trump is soon to get his “what for” and they (MSNBC) will apparently find another right wing “wing nut” to promote – and I MEAN THAT – they appear to be promoting these people – I think because they’re more concerned with viewership than “telling it like it is.” (For example, I have to find information about the blatant LIES coming from the republican presidential wannabees elsewhere – you would think that if MSNBC is truly “leaning left” they would be set on exposing at least some of the LIES. I’ve listened to Chuck Todd, Chris Matthews, and others interviewing republicans and FAILING to even question comments that are absurd or border on the absurd. I guess we’ve gotten to the point in America where it’s just an accepted part of the process that politicians LIE and we simply allow it. Seriously, think about that!

For example, the other day I (had to force myself to) listen(ed) to Chris Matthews commenting, in a manner that seemed complimentary, that Donald Trump had “struck a chord” with a significant number of Americans! To me, if he’s doing the job of an actual “reporter,” he should be HAMMERING the point that Trump’s comments, over and over, confirm that Trump is a racist, misogynist, and (among other things) almost a pathological LIAR. Additionally, he should be pointing out that this “significant number of Americans” amounts to maybe something in the range of 8 – 10 percent (which, if you’ve been paying attention, that’s a pretty conservative number of the Americans who’ve shown their racist tendencies since the inauguration of our first Black President – and, when they all say “we’re going to ‘take our country back'” are you starting to understand the “code?”). So, I guess what I’m saying is that I consider the (apparent) FACT that MSNBC is falling all over itself trying to be “fair and balanced” at the expense of TELLING IT LIKE IT IS alarming! How can I best say this? We don’t need no more Fox “news’s” guarding the “hen house” – ie – the information “highway” in America. MSNBC is giving “credibility” to these republican wack jobs who, with the help of the republican Congress, want to return America to the days of the “robber barons.” Evidently, when they say, “we’re going to take our country back” (aside from the racial code) they mean this literally – like to the 19th century!?

I keep wondering if the “pundits” or “reporters” or whatever their titles – of the people on the stage of MSNBC (and, the other “news” outlets on the 24/7 Cable “empires”) read books, or do any research whatever. Sometimes I think they’re actually watching Fox! For example, I’d like to know how many of these candidates are receiving money from the above mentioned “Koch Brothers.” For the second time, I’m reading “Sons of Wichita,” a book about the Koch family beginning with the patriarch Fred Koch and then about his four sons – Charles and David being the two commonly referred to as “The Koch Brothers.” I don’t understand why people like Matthews, Todd, and even Maddow aren’t HAMMERING it into the American public that Fred Koch (and, afterward his son Charles joined in) was one of the FOUNDERS of the JOHN BIRCH SOCIETY. If you don’t know about them I would suggest you do a little research on your own. But let me give you a short summary. The group (to me a cult) was founded during the McCarthy era of anti-communism hysteria and was in the forefront of that movement. Additionally, the “Birchers” were well known White Supremacists and anti-government advocates who were on the fringe in the 60’s, but are at the heart of the “Tea Party” and the right wing republicans today. I guess you could say (unfortunately) that “we’ve come a long way, baby.”

For whatever reason, our “4th Estate” has been timid in calling out the racism that “exploded” in America (obviously, it was “simmering” under the “surface”) upon the election of Barack Obama to be our 44th President. The name calling from “everyday Americans” has only been encouraged by the “code words” being spewed out by our “leaders” – mostly, but not entirely, on the republican “side of the isle,” and enabled by a “liberal media” willing to “look the other way.” Trump, Cruz, Rubio, Bush, and “fill in the blank” of the republicans have been pandering to the racists in America to the point where some people (me probably included) feel that this is their “base.” Evidently, they feel they can’t win without encouraging this issue which is, in my opinion, at the heart of the divisiveness in America. I’m guessing this is the only way republicans feel they can get middle class Americans (who their platform is designed to “SCREW”) to vote for them. I mean, I heard Rubio the other day (I could only stomach about one or two minutes of listening to him) say – I know, if you’ve been around a while this won’t surprise you – “I’m going to cut taxes and balance the budget.” (And, of course, he’s going to “take our country back” just like all the others)

Well, if you’re like me and fortunate enough to have a decent income and you’re thinking he might be talking about “me” (I believe I’ll be paying around $15,000 in federal taxes this year) think again. He’s not talking about a “middle class” tax cut – he’s talking about eliminating the inheritance tax, reducing capital gains taxes (for people who make their income collecting dividends or selling stocks), and reducing the tax rate on the upper 1% of Americans (those making in excess of around $250,000 – many in the hundreds of MILLIONS) – that is, on the people who are corrupting our political process. Those people can’t get enough and politicians like Rubio can’t get enough (of their money). The bottom line is that, just as when Reagan first proposed this STUPID idea in 1980, it’s a STUPID idea now. If you look at recent American history – say, dating back to 1968 when I started voting, EVERY TIME a republican wins the White House the DEFICIT shoots UP! Every republican candidate CLAIMS he/she can “reduce taxes and balance the budget,” and EVERY time a Democrat wins the White House the Republicans do everything they can to OBSTRUCT the democratic philosophy and then COMPLAIN about the DEFICIT and how the “spend, spend, spend” democrats gave it to us. (all the while as the “liberal media” turns a blind eye to the truth) This scenario happens OVER and OVER and our “investigative reporters” don’t seem to want to educate us Americans to this FACT! Even MSNBC (supposedly “liberal”) rarely if EVER (I can’t remember them pointing this out) talks about how ABSURD this scenario is. (And, by the way, I’m not complaining about how much I pay in taxes – in fact, I’m thankful I’m able to do it. I’m in favor of actually BALANCING the budget and repaying the national debt – which we could EASILY do)

My point here is that if the so-called “liberal media” in America continues to give this blind eye to what is going on in today’s political arena, we’re all going to LOSE! Every one of these present day republican candidates would fit right in with the JOHN BIRCH SOCIETY of the 1950’s and 1960’s. (I’m sure it still exists to this day, evidently in a much more surreptitious manner than when I was young – and, people like Fred Koch were publishing anti-communist pamphlets by the millions) Believe it or not, the John Birch Society accused (republican) President Dwight Eisenhower – the general who orchestrated the allied victory in World War II and then became president in 1952 as being a “communist sympathizer.” If people like Matthews, Todd, Maddow, and the others who have a place in front of the cameras that are SUPPOSED to provide “we the people” with information would read books like “Sons of Wichita,” “The Family,” “The Shock Doctrine,” “Blackwater,” “Who Stole the American Dream,” and others with actual information that exposes the motivation behind the right wing push to control the government so many of them profess to hate “We the people” would have a much better chance for knowledgeably electing a more representative government. These republicans wouldn’t even be under consideration!

One reason people like the “Koch Brothers” hate our government is because it is a representative democracy. The John Birch Society along with those behind “The Family” (Fred Koch, Robert Welch, Doug Coe, and others in the covert part of this right wing “revolution” – to steal a phrase from Bernie Sanders) have openly expressed disdain for democracy and admiration for fascism. And, that is what lies on the horizon if our “4th estate” allows, somehow, one of these right wing “clowns” (to use a part of a phrase bandied about at the beginning of the process) to gain the White House. Republicans already control the Supreme Court, both houses of Congress, and too many state legislatures (just look at what is happening in Michigan if you think I’m nuts). If they gain the White House in 2016 “all bets are off.” There will no longer be a check on the damage they can do. To a lessor degree this is what happened in 2000 when we got Bush/Cheney et al. Look at the damage they were able to do in 8 short years. I believe if “we the people” are STUPID enough (using the words of Donald Trump himself) to allow this to happen again, the damage will be much greater.

And, I’ll leave off with this: To all you WHITE “baby boomers” in my generation who’ve been reaping the benefits of what our fathers and grandfathers FOUGHT for in the 1930’s, 1940’s, and 1950’s who are lining up behind these “Tea Party” candidates who are willing to destroy the gains made during the “New Deal” and “Great Society” that we’ve benefited from ALL our lives: SHAME ON YOU! Eisenhower made sure we had a strong infrastructure as a foundation for a thriving economy. Are we going to allow it to crumble for our children and grandchildren? Things like Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment insurance, work place safety regulations, Environmental protection (Nixon signed the law creating the EPA), Food Safety, Water safety, Voting rights, Civil Rights all happened because of “liberal” activists and I could go on and on with more. We’ve ALL benefited from this – the Kochs and their benefactors (Who’ve benefited the MOST) want to tear it all down. In fact, they’ve already succeeded in the beginning of the process. And, I feel I can say this with certainty, if the republicans succeed in 2016 (with their “permanent republican ‘majority'”) outlets like MSNBC will have their share of the blame ALONG with “we the people.” Seriously, are we going to allow this to happen?

I keep getting reminded (in my head): “Those who ignore history are destined to repeat it.” Bush/Cheney (and those who supported their military extravagance) ignored the history of Viet Nam. We got Iraq. (I responded to a politician who was soliciting money from me by referencing Dick Cheney as a man “who never saw a war he didn’t like” and I responded by pointing out he was wrong. Dick Cheney apparently didn’t like Viet Nam – based on his refusal to serve in it – he only likes to shoot ducks [and his “friends”]) Americans ignored the history of Ronald Reagan in electing Bush/Cheney (ie – cut taxes and balance the budget) and now, with the help of our “4th estate” it appears we’re on the verge of possibly doing this again. Does America have such a short memory that we can’t remember what Bush/Cheney did to our nation? My prayer is that people who have the “stage” – ie Matthews, Todd, Maddow, O’Donnell, Hayes on MSNBC – and others – would focus on actually educating “we the people” about the real motivation of the candidates. Dig beneath their “stump speeches” because, as pointed out above, we’ve evidently got to the stage where the LYING is acceptable. (the information is available – in books and elsewhere!)

(If you’re thinking, “What about the Democrats?” I’m with you – give them the same treatment – it’s just that as things are presently constituted, they are less dangerous than the republicans – personally, I’m sick of the endless wars and that the country I love has people who condone TORTURE and believe that we are entitled to control the world because we have the strongest military in history ie “turn the sand in Syria into a glowing red” – Do people like Cruz, Trump, and the others even wonder how their words are construed internationally? Or do the people who vote for them?)

There’s so much “stuff” going on I can’t seem to focus on what I want to write about. That being said, the reality is that most of what is crossing my mind has to do with the “state of affairs” in America as we continue in what has become an endless political cycle. Honestly, my inbox is so lopsided with requests for contributions from people whom I have no idea how they got my address that I spend most of my time deleting emails when I have the time to check. Despite all that, I’ve been kind of thinking along the same lines for the past week or two and I’m going to attempt to get it “off my chest” today. And, that is – why all the fuss over Iowa?

How on earth did we get to the point where people are saying the results of the Iowa caucuses could determine the nominees for President in 2016? I mean, isn’t that the state that just elected Joni Ernst to the U.S. Senate? I think her “claim to fame” was castrating pigs! Iowa might represent the “Tea Party” (ie Donald Trump and Ted Cruz seem to be leading the republican side) but this hysterically intense media frenzy over these caucuses is simply MORE of the media trying to manufacture the “news” from where I’m sitting. They’re ginning up “excitement” that evidently gets viewers, but is it any wonder that many Americans are falling into the “who cares” camp as this kind of circus atmosphere continues?

As I’m watching (as much of) this (as I can) it’s becoming clearer and clearer to me that the brainwashing “we the people” have been subjected to over the past 40 or so years is getting to the REALLY dangerous stage. It’s the media that has created the political environment that is the driving force behind this election and I’m thinking it will be left to the historians “down the road” to effectively analyze what’s really happening. The “Big Lie Theory” that the Fox “news” people operate from says: “If you repeat a LIE often enough, people will eventually believe it’s true.” The problem I’m now seeing with that is the people who are spewing the LIES also start believing they’re telling the truth after they’ve spouted out enough of them. This would almost seem comical except that so many people’s lives are being ruined by what has amounted to a right wing TILT in American politics over the past 40 years that so many Americans feel helpless to stop. And, no one (in the “news”) is talking about it.

There’s “populist” rage running rampant “out there” – but the information providers are so disingenuous and so focused on their “bottom line” at the expense of actual “investigative journalism” that media outlets continue to distort the reality of what is actually causing what I call the “race to the bottom” in today’s America. I’m actually of the belief that many of the “tea partiers,” if they could just stop and take a “non Fox ‘news'” look at what America’s underlying problems are would be falling in line behind Bernie Sanders. And, for someone who thinks like me (and supports Bernie) the FACT that Republicans have been busy ATTACKING Hillary Clinton for the past several years – including the bogus “Benghazi Hearings” – makes me think I need to take a second look at what she’s proposing. What I have noticed – Sanders and Clinton (and O’Malley for that matter) are actually PROPOSING stuff – kind of an interesting phenomenon in this atmosphere.

Here’s one thing that is continually BUGGING me as I listen to (as much as I can stand of) the pundits covering the election. They talk about the “outsiders” versus the “establishment” for each party in the process. They also talk about how people are “fed up” with the lack of accomplishment in Washington and how it’s due to both parties inability to work with each other. I’m going to try to DISSECT both of those “claims.” (This is all not to mention the curious importance they place on Iowa – they must be making a boatload of money)

First: It’s simply absurd to me when pundits promote the idea, for example, that Donald Trump or Ted Cruz are “outsiders.” Trump comes right from the heart of Wall Street, he’s undoubtedly connected at the “spine” with numerous of the Wall Street banks that the “Tea Party” supporters of his actually can’t stand. It reminds me of a post I wrote a couple years ago wondering why the “Tea Party” is railing against the national debt and then voting with Republicans (who virtually gave it to us). I mean, here’s another curious observation of the “Trump phenomenon” – He holds up a Bible and says “I’m religious” and, almost instantaneously, his polling in Iowa goes up due to the support of “evangelicals.” Trump has referred to the voters as being “stupid” and I almost think that’s the focus of his candidacy – to prove that he’s right!

Then there’s Ted Cruz. Yikes! The only reason you could call him “anti-establishment” is because NO ONE who’s been around him in Washington DC can stand the guy. Even his roommate from college, who was interviewed a while back, said he would prefer to pick a random name from the phone book for president than to have Cruz. Who, by the way – and this is a comical irony, due to his “birther” queries regarding President Obama – DOES have a birther issue. He WAS born in Canada, his father is Cuban, and there’s a SERIOUS question as to whether he is a NATURAL born American. I’ve heard more than one constitutional scholar say as a “matter of fact” that Cruz is ineligible to run for the office of President. I also know of at least one Democrat who will file a legal challenge the moment he gets the nomination (which I can’t even imagine is a possibility). But, as Trump has said, maybe the voters are “stupid.” All of that is besides Cruz was a $1 MILLION per year LAWYER prior to gaining his Senate seat (thanks to, of all people, Sarah Palin – which causes me to ask: are the voters in Texas stupid?), his wife works for Goldman Sachs, and Cruz’s campaigns have been funded largely through “deals” with Goldman Sachs and Citibank – two of the “biggest” of the “too big to fail” Wall Street banks that Cruz’s supporters seem to hate. Does anyone besides me see the irony here?

Secondly: The media (and, I’m talking about MSNBC as well as Fox and the other “cable 24/7 ‘news’ outlet6”) keep saying over and over that “both parties” are equally responsible for the divisiveness in Washington DC. That, to me, is the result of the Fox “news” brainwashing scheme about how they’re “fair and balanced.” Anyone with half a brain knows they aren’t “fair and balanced” – but, it seems that every other “news” outlet is trying to follow suit. This, at the expense of recent FACTUAL history and ACTUAL recorded comments from various political figures. Let’s start with the “FACTUAL history.” Sometime in the 1970’s to early 1980’s Newt Gingrich began the push of republican obstructionism that exists to this day. There are many who give Gingrich credit for the low standing in today’s Congress – which, he apparently relishes – much to the chagrin of a nation which has millions of people needlessly suffering. That’s not a “fair and balanced” philosophy – in fact, the news pundits who are claiming the dysfunction in Washington is “bipartisan” are ignoring history.

Additionally, before President Obama took the oath of office republicans were publicly claiming their “number one goal” was that President Obama “FAIL.” I heard this from the mouths of Mitch McConnell (who instigated over 700 filibusters in the six years of President Obama’s administration when republicans were in the minority – rumor has it that if they win the White House McConnell is going to get rid of the filibuster) and, America’s voice ALL republicans fear, Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh stated, “I want President Obama to FAIL!”

These people could care less if America “succeeds.” They’ve got theirs and there’s nothing “we the people” can do about that (at one time I heard Limbaugh’s income was in the hundreds of MILLIONS per year) and, it’s all about the power to them and their “fat cat” benefactors. Everyone knows America’s government – mainly the Congress – is corrupted to the core and our “news” pundits would have us believe it’s “bipartisan.” However, the REALITY is that the “money changers” are far more connected to republicans than to democrats, the republicans are the experts at obstruction, and their “supporters” (like the Koch brothers and their money empire) will pay whatever it takes to gain the power necessary for them to continue their plundering of America’s taxpayers (we the people). I’ve got my issues with the Democrats, but I look forward to the day when there is a media outlet that is not focused on ratings but actually “telling it like it is.”

One reason democrats appear weak to republicans is their willingness to compromise – to get things done. Many people believe Bernie Sanders’ ideas are too idealistic and will never get through Congress. As presently constituted, I would agree. However, with a REAL fair and balanced reporting, the American people could understand why NOTHING is happening in Congress and maybe would “vote the bums out. (even when they have the majority the republicans refuse to compromise on almost every issue. The recent budget “deal” showed “Speaker Ryan” what lies in store for him [Boehner Deja Vu] if he agrees to another compromise in the future.)

So I’ll end by saying this again, regarding the Iowa caucuses and the upcoming nominations for president. Iowa voters chose Joni Ernst for the Senate. Why would anyone care who they choose for the republican nomination for president? I have to wonder if Trump, Cruz, or any of the others, for that matter, demonstrated they could castrate a pig. Maybe that would be what would make the difference for the Iowa voters. I’m looking forward to finding out if Trump’s assessment of them is correct!

OK, if you’ve been around my rants in cyberspace much, you knew this was coming – kind of an “I told you so” moment.  And, yes, I’m talking about the “Christian terrorist” who MURDERED three people at a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs the day after Thanksgiving.  He killed a police officer (who, ironically, was also an assistant pastor at a local church from what I’ve read), an Iraq war vet, and a mother of two who was there supporting a friend.  I’m not sure what we will hear from the right wing “crazies” regarding this Murderer, I’m guessing most of the “hate mongers” will be declaring their own innocence regarding the DISTINCT possibility that their hate rhetoric motivated this MURDERER to kill these people while thinking he was some kind of “pro life” hero.  Honestly, as a Christian myself, I TOTALLY fail to understand the thinking of people like this and the ones “ginning up” the hate.

However, I have to point out that just a few days before this happened I wrote about the right wing – I believe I referred to them as “fear mongers” – who’ve been out in force since the terrorist attacks in Paris a couple of weeks ago.  I pointed out the hypocrisy of people like (most of) the candidates for the republican presidential nomination who are “broad brushing” Muslims because of the extreme antics of ISIL and attempting to block THOUSANDS of Syrian refugees from entering the United States – presumably because there’s a slight chance ISIL will manage to smuggle a terrorist past our border despite the18 month to 2 year vetting process each refugee must endure prior to being admitted (legally) to the the U.S.  Keep in mind, these refugees are fleeing unrest that is, to a large extent, the result of the Bush/Cheney invasion of Iraq in 2003.  Republicans have found creative ways to avoid that part of the discussion and our “liberal media” is very accommodating for them.

Jeb Bush had the gall to say that “If they are Christians, we should let them in.”  I’m guessing (and, I guessed in that previous post) that Mr. Bush was suggesting that only Muslims could be considered “terrorists.”  I’m wondering, REALLY I am, how Jeb would categorize the man who shot up the Planned Parenthood facility, killing the aforementioned three INNOCENT people, while holding scores of people hostage.  From the accounts I heard, there was random gunfire repeatedly at different times during the day.  Witnesses reported the man shooting at just about anything that moved.  He was apparently shooting through walls, doors, windows, and who knows what else – at this point.  I’m guessing his motive was to create TERROR!

I haven’t been much for watching the republican “debates” but I do recall one of the earlier ones focusing on Planned Parenthood and referencing a video, that has since been proven to be a hoax, to support the claim that Planned Parenthood is somehow selling “baby parts” after abortions.  Now, I have to say here that I’m not “pro abortion.”  My heart goes out to anyone who’s in the position to feel they need one.  And, in my mind, there is no question that once an egg and a sperm unite and you have an embryo that requires only food and oxygen to grow, it is a human life.  To me that is not even debatable, it’s just reality.  However, that being said, I have to add that I’m thankful to never have been in the position to have to make that choice.  Personally, except in rare incidences I’d choose “life.”  The reality though, to me, is that it’s not my decision, it’s legal, and it’s not my place to “judge” either the patient or the doctor in the case of abortion.  I could write another long post about this subject, but I’ll leave it for another day.  My point here though, is that crazy people like the guy who committed these MURDERS are affected by the rhetoric of “leaders” who profess to be Christians and who are constantly attacking – usually with “doctored” evidence – abortion providers. (and, ironically – here’s that word again – most of the people in the “pro life” movement – at least that I’ve observed – oppose early child education, government funded children’s health care, Medicaid, food stamps, maternity and paternity leave, raising the minimum wage, etc. – all areas of “debate” that affect people in poverty – and, the number’s growing not receding – I’m guessing financial considerations would be a leading motivator for women seeking abortions)

I strayed from my point, but I wanted to be clear that I’m not “pro abortion.”  (honestly, I don’t think many people are – there are, in my view, a plethora of reasons why unwanted pregnancies would be significant in our nation)  My point is that the guy who MURDERED the three people at the Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs has to be called a “home grown” Christian terrorist.  (And, none of the people he murdered were having abortions! – not that that would have made it OK, I’m just sayin….) Unfortunately, I see lots of similarities between the right wing Christians and the right wing Muslims.  The core beliefs might be different, but the “my way or the highway” philosophy seems to have a lot of similarities to me.  As a “liberal” Christian, that’s certainly not how I read the Bible.  One of the main things that drew me to believing in Jesus was “free will.”  The idea that we, as a nation (or government) can “legislate morality” to me is as absurd today as it was in my mind back in my formative years – the 60’s and 70’s.

As time rolls on while I’m often pondering why I’ve been motivated to read so many books and be, seemingly, constantly ranting in cyberspace, about the damage being done to the America I love by the republican party, it’s becoming more clear to me that what bugs me the most is that it’s the Christian community which is generally considered to be the “base” of that party.  Someone like Donald Trump, who is eerily reminding me of a certain person we’re not supposed to mention who arose to prominence back in the early thirties in Germany, says: “I’m religious.”  And, the republican brethren believe him and then cheer when he denigrates Mexicans and says he will locate millions of them and somehow deport them (and, believe it or NOT, Trump’s going to build a wall – I guess something along the lines of the Great Wall of China, between Mexico and the United States and Mexico will pay for it), or proposes rounding up Muslims and “registering them,” or, the last one I heard was when he suggested 80% of whites murdered in America are killed by Blacks!

Is it any wonder why America’s young people are fleeing from Christianity?  My understanding of the Gospels is that it’s a message of love.  That’s NOT what’s coming across from the right wing of the republican party – which is relying on Christians as their “base.”  Please people, wake up!  And, I’m not a big fan of the democrats – in fact, I heard today that a significant plurality of America’s voting public is now “independent.” (I’m in that category)  Makes me think Bernie Sanders actually does have a chance to succeed in the 2016 presidential election.

To me, there was great thought put forth by our founding fathers when they CLEARLY put forth a constitution calling for a SEPARATION of church and state.   However, since the days of Reagan (there’s that “bugaboo” again) republicans have “sucked in” Christians who are opposed to abortion (Read “Crazy For God” by Frank Schaeffer) as a way to push some very “Non-Christian” initiatives, with the end result being damage to both the government and to the church.  Now, more and more, we’re ending up with “Christians” committing murder and the people who “egg them on” in the media, after the fact, are nowhere to be found.  In Colorado we have THREE people, TOTALLY innocent people, DEAD – and, within a matter of days our “liberal media” was on to the next story.  In fact, the next story was another shooting, but this time it was perpetrated by Muslim MURDERERS – so it will likely be in the news for months and “we the people” will be encouraged by our media outlets along with the GOP candidates for president in 2016 to “be afraid.”  (And, the republicans will use it to blame President Obama for more of our ills!  Yikes!)

Note: I started this post a couple weeks ago and never got it finished or published.  In the meantime I met with a friend that I often have breakfast with on Saturday mornings.  After that meeting I started another post – kind of along the lines of this one – and, I thought I’d just add it here.  It’s pretty much self- explanatory. (and, for once, it’s short :o):

Often times, on Saturday mornings, I meet with a “conservative” friend of mine for breakfast and we do something our politicians seem to be immune from, we discuss issues that we see from almost completely different viewpoints in a way that encourages honesty and transparency.  I call it a dialogue.  We’re both Christians, I’m a “liberal” Christian and he comes from the “conservative” bent.  But we talk, and we respect each other’s viewpoint, and – in my view – we each grow a bit every time we meet.  Neither of us appreciates the level of division in our country and the FACT that we’ve stuck our children with politicians who can’t seem to perform even the basic functions of government.

Today, as I arrived, my friend was reading an article on his phone (we’re both old enough to be continually amazed that our phones are more powerful than the first computers we used) that referenced the president of Egypt making a pledge to rebuild structures of Christians in Egypt that have been destroyed by Muslim radicals in the previous couple of years.  We both thought, “That’s the kind of leadership we’d like to see from statesmen around the world.”  He suggested I post this article on this blog and I decided he was correct.  So, if you’d like to read a very interesting article that encourages peace and understanding (and tolerance), click HERE.

I’m finishing the book “The Power Game” by Hedrick Smith and towards the end of the book he brings up an interesting point in regards to the political power “scene” in Washington DC back in the 80’s which is, in my view, even more profound today.  He points out that beginning with JFK the American presidential elections are pretty much determined by candidates who are able to “sell” themselves on TV.  That is: The makeup on your face is more important than the makeup of your political positions. (this is my analogy)  What was transpiring then (the book was written during the last year of the Reagan administration) has become more acute in today’s world – especially, in my view, in congressional elections – and that is:  many of the people elected to office in today’s political “climate” do not understand how to govern.

The first example that came to my mind while I was reading this part of the book (other than the republican candidates which I’ll get to later) was what I witnessed during the last “episode” of the Benghazi hearings where the right wing republicans in the House were attempting to destroy Hillary Clinton.  I listened to about an hour and a half of the proceedings and was totally amazed that virtually EVERY one of the republicans on the committee demonstrated almost a COMPLETE lack of knowledge regarding how our government – and, in this instance, the State Department – works.  The reason for my interest in this inquisition was my support for Bernie Sanders for the democratic nomination for president in 2016 and how this hearing would affect Mrs. Clinton, who is obviously the main opposition to Mr. Sanders.  Well, “to make a long story short,” the next day I told one of my friends I think the Benghazi committee just elected Mrs. Clinton as president.  The republicans were embarrassingly ill-prepared and Mrs. Clinton was given the opportunity to demonstrate an incredible grasp of the workings of our government – well beyond just the State Department.  In a “nutshell,”  the republican “attack squad” was no match for Mrs. Clinton.  In essence they gave her free advertising!

As I’m reading Smith’s book I keep thinking back to these republican representatives on that committee and reminding myself of how our present Congress is making the “Do Nothing” Congress that Harry Truman vilified back in the late 40’s look like workaholics.  Not only are they continually exposing their lack of knowledge regarding the workings of our government (and, I’m not just talking about those on the Benghazi committee now), but they (republicans) seem to spend more time either blocking legislation initiated by those in Congress who do know how it’s “supposed” to work or actually NOT WORKING at all!  I saw a chart a while back on the number of days Congress has been in session since the republicans took over and it’s almost as if they work the number of days most people spend on vacation (OK, it’s not quite that bad – in 2014 I believe the House was in session something like 100 WHOLE days!)  Each year the republicans control the House they set a new record for the fewest pieces of legislation passed IN HISTORY!  Honestly, I think they repeal “Obamacare” (The Affordable Care Act – the legislation one of my good friends, a republican, has shared with me he’d be bankrupt without) more often each year than they pass legislation.

So, one has to wonder (at least I do) how did we get ourselves into such a MESS?  Well, there seem to be multiple explanations, but I have to believe Smith’s contention that the TV has totally turned our democracy upside down (again, my characterization) ranks right at the top.  First of all, it’s those behind the scenes of the political parties – and, as I’ve said many times on this site, that’s where the republicans put the democrats to shame –  the operatives who we never see along with the financiers with the bottomless pockets – who determine the candidates who actually run for office.  In the republican party, if you stray from the “pledge” by even one or two “votes” (in the case of an incumbent) you will get “primaried.”  This is no secret – although I’m amazed that more people in our “liberal media” don’t discuss the ramifications of what that (voting in “lock step”) does to our “democracy.”  Compromise, which is the backbone of a functioning democracy, is a “dirty word” to those behind our present day right wing republican party (which is why my main focus for the past few years is to encourage people to vote republicans out of office – en masse)

So this invisible “cabal” of the republican party has to find people who will be “acceptable” via the TV advertising which is necessary to win in today’s political climate AND they have to be willing to vote how they’re told to vote.  The idea that any of them are actually “voting their conscience” is laughable.  The representative in my own district (she’s a republican) was threatened with censure by the local republican party because she voted 5 times out of over 500 votes via her conscience.  It’s do what you’re instructed or the funds will be cut off and you’ll be “primaried.”  I’ve been using the F word (fascism) to describe the direction of the republican party for years.  Now, with people like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz leading in the polls for the republican nomination for president you’re hearing that term in more and more places.  When you have a group who openly profess “The end justifies the means” it’s time to “wake up” – that would be my message to “we the people.”

I’ve watched (as much as I can stomach of) the republican debates for the 2016 nomination for president and I haven’t heard much that relates to actual issues and how to solve America’s mounting problems.  What I’ve heard is “I’ll get rid of Obamacare.”  “When I’m elected we’ll get the Keystone XL pipeline.” “Planned Parenthood sells body parts.” “Obama is weak.”  “Issues” like that along with a plethora of comments that compete for the number of “Pinocchio’s on the fact checking websites.  I think I did hear Donald Trump claim that the minimum wage is too high and others say we should repeal the minimum wage.  I watched part of one democratic debate and felt that each of the candidates was speaking to specific issues.  While there were many generalities there as well (I guess that’s how it has to be) the candidates spent most of their time speaking toward issues and not blasting each other or their republican counterparts.  What stuck out to me was how the democratic candidates demonstrated an infinitely higher grasp on the functionality of government – and, I have to add, I’ve never understood the rationale behind electing people who HATE government to run it.  That, to me, makes no sense.

Back to my original point – our “system” has evolved to the point where the ability to attract voters via your TV personality far outweighs your knowledge of and ability to run government.  To me, that is a dangerous misnomer – and, it’s time that reality becomes part of the national dialogue.  Ronald Reagan was an actor who was completely at ease in front of the camera’s and he won one solid victory (over Carter and Anderson) and one landslide victory – despite the FACT that a majority of Americans (especially by his second term in office) disagreed with his political philosophy.  Reagan had no expertise on how the government functioned and mainly delegated responsibility to others – leading to some lasting damage to the foundation of our nation.  It was Reagan who claimed government to be the problem and not the solution.  It was Reagan who put the national debt on its course toward financial disaster – a course that got a substantial assist from GW Bush/Dick Cheney in 2002.  Reagan is the best example (I can think of) of a politician who’s expertise at winning elections via the TV allowed for his incompetence at governing to rule the day.

In today’s political “arena” you’ve got people like Charles and David Koch who are willing to spend HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars to support candidates willing to take the “pledge” (the pledge is to vote lock step according to the directions of the party “leaders”) and they (the Koch’s and their brethren) are the masters at how to use the media for their advantage.  For years the republicans have been brainwashing America’s unsuspecting public as they’ve had a slow steady push toward what Karl Rove calls the “permanent republican ‘majority'” – quote marks are mine.  They’ve had people like Rush Limbaugh brainwashing his listeners – what’s really interesting to me about him is that Limbaugh actually refers to his listening audience as “ditto heads” – and, the listeners willingly adopt that slam, they’ve got Fox “news” which is the brainchild of Roger Ailes – a “dirty trickster” republican operative sans Richard Nixon – that openly follows the “Big Lie Theory” of Joseph Goebbels, the German Nazi propagandist, with little to no actual blow-back from the “liberal media,” and they’ve got a small “army” of right wing pundits that will flood the various cable “news” outlets – all, of course focused on being “fair and balanced,” – with, what I call, the “word of the day” – as they spread the right wing’s propaganda message to all who will listen.  Honestly, you can’t get away from this barrage of propaganda.  For example, they’ve even convinced liberals that our media is “liberal.”  And, as the commercials you see on TV regarding professional golfers state – “These guys are good.”

From the standpoint of those “pulling the strings,” I’m sure the FACT that so many of those going to congress as “Tea Party” “conservatives,” or simply “conservative” republicans have no idea how the government functions or how to create legislation is  TOTALLY irrelevant.  The only thing that matters is that they vote as they’re directed.  I’m sure over the course of time, many of these people actually start to believe they are competent at what they’re supposed to be doing, but all you have to do is watch something like the Benghazi hearings to realize – “Oh my gosh” these republicans are outlandishly bad!  I’m sure this is why, during the election cycles, the campaign managers attempt to keep their candidates away from impromptu sessions with anyone associated with the media in case they might say something off of the script.  If you remember GW Bush – he had difficulty putting one comprehend-able sentence together, let alone a whole paragraph!

All of this is why I’m starting to see Donald Trump as playing a very important part in the next few years of America’s unfolding history.  One thing you can say about Trump is that he’s not one of those candidates who’s going to say what he’s told by the republican insiders.  In fact, what I’m hearing is that the republican “establishment” is staying up late at night trying to figure out how to get rid of  Mr. Trump without encouraging him to run a third party campaign.  He’s not taking orders from them – in fact, I’m sure his plan is to give the orders!  These republican insiders loved the “Tea Party” while it was working to their advantage, but Trump is more than likely giving them second thoughts.  The latest “reporting” I’ve heard is that the republican “establishment” is planning a “brokered convention” in case Trump manages to stay viable all the way until the convention begins.  Their “Tea Party” strategy seems to be backfiring!  But, make no mistake, Trump is an expert at using the TV to further his ends – and he is a classic “The end justifies the means” type of person.  He’s referred to America’s voters as being “stupid” and, in my view, the ultimate success (or failure) of his campaign will go a long way in determining to what degree he’s accurate.

And, let’s look at the alternative to Trump.  At the present time it’s looking like Ted Cruz.  I’m sure it wasn’t too long ago that there was NO ONE in the republican party who thought any candidate would make Cruz look “inviting.”  The reality:  Cruz is not much different than Trump.  We’re still looking at Fascist comparisons should the republicans end up nominating Cruz.  He’s had enough “wacky” moments in his short Senate career to fill a large roll of film for the PAC’s that will be lining up to prevent him from winning the White House.  As I predicted about 5 years ago, the logical republican nominee – from what I could foresee – was Jeb Bush!  Yikes!!!  Right now, Bush is at around 3% in the polls – so, the “establishment” is going to need a “Houdini” trick to prop him up to a level where he’s got a shot at the nomination.  I wonder what they’re thinking – that the preferred alternative to Trump is another Bush?!  Is it any wonder that the republican party finds itself in disarray?  In truth, the republicans are all about POWER.  The so-called 1% has become almost unfathomably rich since the day Reagan was elected.  There seems to be no way to satisfy their GREED!  I find it ironic that “one of their own,” Donald Trump, could be their undoing.  Trump has the TV part of politics “down,” we’ll all have to wait and see if America’s voters are as stupid as he thinks they are.

The biggest irony in all of this, to me, is that it’s people like Trump who these “Tea Party” fanatics should be angry at.  It’s the Wall Street members of the so-called “1%” who’ve been ripping them (and America) off for the past 30 years – but, they (the Tea Party) have been convinced it’s the democrats (and, “liberals”) and the “government” that is the problem.  Bernie Sanders is correct when he asserts that a significant portion of the “angry” Trump supporters would have a much better chance of seeing change that positively would affect their lives by supporting him.  Reminds me of the saying, “Can’t see the forest because of the trees.”

Many people (including myself) have referred to the list of candidates for the 2016 republican nomination for president as the “clown car.”  Well, I was just reading an article about how two top staffers for Dr. Ben Carson had resigned and, in the article, it mentioned that in the last quarter of the year Dr. Carson has raised $23 MILLION all the while as his campaign is headed for the “dumps.” (That’s my characterization)  My first thought as I was reading this article was that Dr. Carson (and, I’m sure, most of the other members of the “Clown Car”) is/are “laughing all the way to the bank.”

Now, as a non-political candidate, I’m not sure what he will do with all this cash – what I am sure is that he’s not going to refund it to the supposed 600,000 donors out there who sent it to him.  It’s hard for me to get the amazement out of my head that there are apparently 600,000 Americans willing to send money to someone like Carson as he portrays himself as a qualified candidate for the office of the president.  I want to say, “Are you kidding me?”  Then I remember John McCain choosing Sarah Palin to be “a heartbeat from the presidency” – had he won and something happened to him – AND, a large percentage of the republican “base” hit a TEN on the excitement meter.  It’s hard for me to imagine how that many Americans can assume you can just pull someone out of a family dialogue (argument?) regarding politics and they would be qualified to hold the highest office in the land.  I guess Ronald Reagan has succeeded in convincing the American public that government “is the problem.”

The list of republican “leaders” who have a difficult time putting a complete sentence together is beginning to seem endless.  In Carson’s case, I’m sure he’s a renowned brain surgeon, but as I listened to him, I came to the conclusion he was no more qualified to be president than I am – and, honestly, that’s a scary thought!  I’m trying to force myself to listen to the members of the so-called “clown car” and it’s got beyond discouraging – it’s to the point of downright embarrassing!  (The thought of one of them actually winning is frightening) I’d love for the people of this nation who are encouraging this stuff to realize “the world is watching.”

I’m guessing that many of the supporters in the rallies for people like Carson are simply angry citizens who don’t understand why things have gone in such a “southward” direction in their lifetimes.  Many are probably in the 40 – 50 year old range and they became adults around the time Reagan got elected back in 1980.  I’ve written about the travesty of the “Reagan revolution,” but I’m thinking now it will have to be the historians to fully quantify the DAMAGE that has resulted from the “me first” thinking which was (and is still being) embedded in the minds of so many Americans.  I can’t tell you how many working class Americans I’ve talked to over the past 20 or so years who, on the one hand, vote for republicans and then, without any knowledge of how republicans have promoted anti-worker policies while enabling America’s elite to “rob” the taxpayers almost blind, blame democrats (and, for the past 7 years President Obama) for the failures of our government.  (I’ve written many times regarding the sophistication of the republican (brainwashing) propaganda scheme – taken right from the “playbook” of Joseph Goebbels, head of Nazi propaganda – why our “liberal media refuses to disclose this reality is beyond me)

I mean, for the most amazing example of how ridiculous things have become in this nation, all you have to do is look back to the Bush/Cheney regime.  (In essence, today’s “clown car” are promoting an identical philosophy)  GW Bush and Dick Cheney took a $250 BILLION surplus and turned it into a $500 BILLION deficit in the space of about 4 years. (That’s NOT my “opinion” – you can look it up)  And, that doesn’t even count the TRILLIONS they spent on two wars that they “charged” and never put “on the books.”  (One of the first things President Obama did was put the cost of the wars “on the books” and, of course, this led to republicans blaming him for the deficits he INHERITED)  Bush/Cheney essentially RUINED America’s standing in the world by authorizing (openly) TORTURE and by encouraging economic “freedoms” for Wall Street that led to the so-called “Great Recession” – causing the $700 BILLION TARP bailout (that “we the taxpayers” will probably NEVER know how much it really cost) – where Bush/Cheney and Henry Paulsen abandoned their “free market” philosophy just long enough to enrich their brethren on Wall Street – the very people who risked the world’s economy for the sake of some pretty fancy “profits.”  Of course, that fiasco (the Great Recession) affected the entire world because our financial “experts” were selling their financial garbage to any country’s financiers who could be convinced our rating agencies were actually operating under some kind of regulated honor bound system.  (If you don’t know this, republicans HATE regulations – regulations seem to get in the way of their ability to SCREW people)

And, of course, Bush/Cheney gave us the present political “tensions” with ISIL and the like via their unprovoked INVASION of a sovereign nation in Iraq, circa 2003.  Kind of makes you wonder where they get off criticizing Russia, for example, when Russia “invaded” Ukraine.  I can only imagine how people around the world react when they hear American politicians criticizing foreign governments for encroaching on the sovereign rights of others.  Evidently, it’s the old “do as I say, not as I do” philosophy.  I’m assuming there are still many in the American public who believe the people in other nations around the world are STUPID.  Ironically it was the present front-runner of the “clown car,” Donald Trump, who I’ve heard, more than once, refer to the America voting public as “stupid,” and I’m beginning to believe he’s got a point – especially for the republican base – which is supporting him (and others like Carson).  The reason I’m bringing up the Bush/Cheney regime again is because it only took two years and republican voters were acting as if Bush/Cheney caused no harm.  In 2010 we got a fresh “bunch” of republicans (the “Tea Partiers”) who were even more “out there” than Bush/Cheney.

Trying to get back to my point, it’s just hard for me to imagine what is going on with the republican party in America.  Honestly, you don’t have to be an expert on political science to understand that people like Ben Carson (and Sarah Palin and Donald Trump and, I could go on) are not qualified to be the president of the United States.  I mean, just think of Sarah Palin with the keys to the “box” or whatever it is that sets off the nuclear devices.  Yikes!!!  Or, Ben Carson??  Seriously, Donald Trump or Ted Cruz????  These people can’t have a “debate” on actual issues that matter to changing the direction of this nation because they don’t understand how the government functions – do we want them deciding whether or not it’s time for a cataclysmic war?  (Palin famously said, in reference to a question regarding her credentials in foreign policy, “I can see Russia from my porch.”)

Sadly, this push toward the “right” (which allows fringe candidates like Dr. Carson and Ms. Palin to become relevant) has dragged the entire debate to the “right.”  I’ve been pointing out for years that, in my view, the democratic party suffers from the inability to defend their own basic principles – sometimes I’ve used the terminology – spineless.  They’ve kind of just acquiesced in what many like me consider a battle for the heart and soul of our nation.  My email inbox is constantly flooded by requests for donations from democrats (many whom I have no idea who they are and how they got my email address) who tell me I should support them because they aren’t republicans – essentially.  Fear the republicans, or “fear the Koch brothers.” I can see that many Americans don’t find the alternative to republicans very palatable.  In the recent mid-term elections democrats around the country weren’t even able to defend their own policy decisions and basic platform.  It almost seemed to me that President Obama’s own party didn’t have the GUTS to FIGHT for the policies he was pushing and they were supposedly behind.  So, the problem here is twofold, and, unfortunately, “we the people” only have two practical choices when it comes to choosing our leaders.

The one person soliciting money from me who bases his requests on his own political philosophy and his proposals for solving problems is Bernie Sanders – and, from what I’m gathering, he’s considered a “left wing” fringe candidate.  I’ve been following politics in America for over 50 years and Bernie seems very grounded and practical to me.  I’m just pointing this out because, as I see it, there really is an alternative to all of this.  I’m guessing Bernie is an independent because he is unable to associate himself with a party whose leaders don’t have the conviction to fight for their own beliefs.  Again, I’m guessing, but I believe Bernie is running as a democrat for the very reason that he’s “practical.”  He doesn’t want to enable a right wing republican to win because of a “third party” campaign that would bludgeon the democratic “base.”  So, he will win or lose in the democratic primary season.  I appreciate and respect that.

I’m a “baby boomer” who graduated from high school about the time of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution circa Viet Nam.  Bernie Sanders, as I just stated, doesn’t seem “left wing” to me.  He seems practical and traditional based on the values that permeated America after the New Deal of FDR and the Great Society gains of Lyndon Johnson.  In between those two came 8 years of Dwight Eisenhower – a republican who would be considered a leftist by republicans today – who was responsible for his share of creating the great middle class in America that emerged after WW II,  “We the people” are the government that so many republicans complain about and our government is what we all depend on to maintain the traditions that made us great.  And, that government – from the 1930’s until Reagan’s election in 1980 was what I call a “we” government.  It took the “bottom up” approach to managing the economy and the people. Basically, the “platform” of Mr. Sanders.

Reagan’s election changed all that and has turned America into a “me first” society.  And, that’s the only way I can figure out that people like Ben Carson and Sarah Palin (and the others) have managed to “grab their fifteen minutes of fame.”  Reagan convinced a large segment of our population that government is the problem and,it seems, if you can just get a spot on the stage in the republican political world simply berating government and espousing cliche’s like “I want to take our country back” or I want to “make America great again”  you will get HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of donations, like in the case of Dr. Carson.

Anyone who knows anything about American politics has known right from the start that Dr. Carson has NO CHANCE to become the president of the United States.  However, when I saw the number of $23 MILLION in just the past 3 months, I have to think he’s more than a brilliant brain surgeon.  I’m guessing he’s going to make WAY more money running for president than when he was a practicing doctor.  What Sarah Palin did was take her turn from obscurity and turn it into TENS OF MILLIONS of dollars which I have to believe is the secret motivation of many of those on the “clown car.”  There seems to be a willing “host” for these people in the form of Fox “news” and, that’s another issue I could write about endlessly.  They (Fox) have succeeded in turning a significant portion of America’s population into “haters.”  As a father and grandfather, that is probably, to me, the worst part of all of this.  The “right wing” media – meaning Fox along with the radical “talkers” like Limbaugh, Beck, and all the wannabes like Lars Larsen who are willing to participate in this despicable propaganda scheme (obviously, they’re making a lot of money in the process) that is turning good Americans against each other by spewing lies and deceptive innuendo are the main culprits in destroying the foundation of this country.  People like Carson, Palin, etc. are simply, in my mind, the “water carriers.”

There are multiple forces who are attempting to actually turn the freedoms so many of us in America take for granted into the mechanism that turns us back to the days of the “Robber Barons.”  Unfortunately, in my view, many of those who’ve chosen to “believe” the propaganda coming from Fox, Limbaugh, and the others don’t even know what the “Robber Baron” era was.  They’ve been convinced that the very government that has given them so many privileges is the enemy of the people.  Obviously, there is plenty of room for improvement when it comes to the government, but I believe history will show that much of that need has been created since the day Reagan moved into the White House.

I find it discouraging to read the comment sections on blogs where “right wing” commenters are referring to “liberals” in stereotypical ways – often referring to liberals as “stupid.”  The one I read tonight was filled with hateful comments about “liberals” and equating them to the government as if they (and the government) are the enemy – and, noticeably, I have to add that the writing was so bad it was hard to read.  In fact, I’m pretty sure the fact that I’m a 6th grade teacher made it easier to decipher the meaning of many of the comments because it was obvious (from the invented spellings, etc.) that many calling “liberals” stupid should maybe take a look in the mirror.  I’m only pointing this out because it was apparent that many of the commenters were regurgitating information they were “fed” by the “right wing” propaganda machine but they were lacking in the ability to express their thoughts cogently. (And, unfortunately, the disparaging commenting seems to go both ways – it’s as if those whose philosophy is “divide and conquer” are winning)

From what I can tell, the members of the “clown car” – including Dr. Carson – are using this paranoia towards our government that has been “drilled” into the minds of so many working class people who don’t understand why their way of life is “crumbling” and encouraging them on where they can place the blame, as a means for Carson (and the others) to further their own personal wealth.  (the old “the end justifies the means” theory)  It will be interesting to see what happens as, one by one, the republican “aspirants” fall by the wayside – what they do with their “campaign chests,” and if anyone even checks.  It has been reported that Sarah Palin has “paved the way” as to how to turn a failed political campaign into massive personal wealth, and I have to believe Dr. Carson and many of these other republican “hopefuls” have the same intention.  Here’s the political reality in America since the days of Reagan; when republicans win the American people lose!  I have my issues with the democrats, but I look forward to the day when “we the people” wake up to the fact that the republicans and their benefactors are (and have been since the 80’s) pilfering the taxpayers of this nation for untold TRILLIONS of dollars! (all while they’ve got “we the people” arguing over insignificant “stuff” so we’ll continue failing to notice)  Maybe then “we the people” will correct the problem by voting them out of office en masse!  In the meantime, as I said earlier, the “players” in the “plan,” like Dr. Carson, are “laughing all the way to the bank.”

I really shouldn’t watch TV.  Today, after I got home from school (I’m a 6th grade teacher – semi retired) I foolishly turned on MSNBC when Chuck Todd was demonstrating, again, to me, that he plays a great pawn for the Obama haters and the right wing establishment.  Honestly, in the part of the show that really caught my eye – where they (Todd and the pundits he had on with him) were lamenting the Donald Trump “phenomenon” and all the ways it could destroy the republican party – I couldn’t help but be reminded of how Todd allowed himself in the 2014 election to be a pawn for Mitch McConnell (and, I have to say, I’m not sure if it was intentional or not).  Here he (and the others) were speculating on how the republicans could get rid of Trump without destroying their party – while, in my view, continuing the curious obsession the American media has with actually propping Trump up.

Really, that’s all I hear about when I force myself to catch a bit of “news.”  It’s Trump this, Trump that, and Trump, Trump, and Trump.  And, Mr. Trump is correct.  He doesn’t need to spend a penny on advertising – the cable networks are providing him with 24/7 FREE advertising.  Plus, I don’t see evidence that the very people who are lamenting his candidacy the most on TV “get” that they are playing into his hands.  Just as many of these same people have (correctly) pointed out that Trump is playing into the hands of the so-called “terrorists” with his offensive, racist, bigoted rhetoric.  It’s no wonder America is in such a state.  Traditionally, we were supposed to be able to “trust” the “fourth estate” – meaning the media, to provide information to the public.  These people are dead set on providing entertainment, and when they get sucked in, boy “Katie bar the door.”

I listened the other day to Bernie Sanders commenting on Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric along with sharing his experience regarding a visit he had with leaders of the African American community in Baltimore and suggesting how “we the people” might address the deplorable conditions many are enduring in America’s inner cities.  As I listened to Sanders all I could think was that his rhetoric was too sensible, too practical, and was aimed at actually beginning the process of helping America’s middle class and those in poverty (47 MILLION) address the need to change the direction of this country in a way that honors workers and focuses on restoration – not only of the middle and lower classes, but of the infrastructure that is the foundation of any strong society.  What Bernie is saying and proposing SHOULD be what is broadcast on all the news shows and news wires.  Not, the offensive rhetoric of Mr. Trump.  Yes, Trump is gaining “steam” – but, the sad reality, to me, is that the media who’s complaining about him is the source that’s propping him up!  If he was FORCED (like every other candidate) to pay for advertising to get his message out, we wouldn’t be forced to listen to this garbage.  Makes me wonder what the REAL motivation of the media pundits really is???

Of course, Todd couldn’t leave it at that.  He had to bring on a pundit to report on the testimony of the Secretary of Defense (I believe his name is Ash Carter) before a Senate committee this morning.  The only thing I know about that committee (I listened to about 20 minutes of the testimony) is that John McCain is on the committee.  I almost gagged listening to McCain essentially berating Mr. Carter because America has not placed “boots on the ground” back in Iraq and Syria.  Of course, if you’ve listened to McCain much, that would not be a surprise – and, it wouldn’t take much to point out that he gets (got) it wrong EVERY STEP OF THE WAY regarding the destabilizing of the Middle East.  McCain has a history of incompetence that goes all the way back to Viet Nam.  So, I have to wonder, why do people like Todd – and, in this instance MSNBC – continue to give McCain and his ilk “cover?”  Why do what they say have any credence?  As I forced myself to watch Todd comment on the situation in Syria it was no surprise to me that he gave one subliminal hint after another that our government policy is – well, he just shook his head in a non-verbal slam.

I’m convinced with people like McCain and Todd (and others – including Trump) being given this presumption of credibility our nation is destined to end up in another stupid phase of Bush/Cheney’s “endless war.”  Yes, our corporate behemoth and our war mongers will go to any length to make this happen.  It’s as if Osama bin Laden knew EXACTLY how America would react to 9/11 and people like Trump, McCain, and media personalities like Todd and outlets like MSNBC just continue to make his point.  Be very afraid!  To me, Chuck Todd is either a shill for the republicans or a stooge who has no idea how he’s being played.

Then there’s Chris Matthews – he comes on the same channel a bit later than Todd.  The frustrating thing to me about Matthews is that I know he should know better.  I’m just finishing a book written in the late 80’s by Hedrick Smith titled “The Power Game” in which Matthews is quoted repeatedly while he was a member of Tip O’Neil’s staff during the Reagan administration.  Additionally, I’m getting emails from Matthews wife who is running for Congress as a Democrat back in Virginia (or Maryland) which causes me alarm at some of the things I hear on his program.  The same day I’m referring here to Todd and his comments regarding Trump, well Matthews – and conceivably EVERY other member of the cable “media” – were “on” the same subject – for the entire length of their programs.  The part that was revealing to me as I tried to stomach as much of the Matthews program (called “Hardball”) as I could handle was when Matthews referred to, essentially, how entertaining the election cycle was going to be due to the “Trump phenomenon.”

Matthews, of course, was referring to all the “nuances” this Trump candidacy exposes regarding our political process and how it will (and is) affect(ing) the republican party.To him, it seems as if it’s entertainment and more viewers.  One of the pundits on his show (I can’t remember her name, but what I do remember is that she’s a writer for “The Nation” – a true liberal publication) was not amused by Matthews references to how Trump makes this next election cycle entertaining.  She clearly understands the ramifications this has on our nation and the importance of the next election and how we shouldn’t be focused on “entertainment” – especially in the broadcast “news” media.  Trump has been proven correct when he suggests the American voting public is “stupid.”  People like Matthews who have some level of a “bully pulpit” (I have no idea the level of his program’s viewership) should, in my view, be focused on the real issues and, from a true pundit’s point of view, how to best address them.  NOTHING Trump does or says is aimed at REALLY addressing America’s true issues – in fact, I believe it’s not hard to argue that Trump is making the solutions to our REAL issues more complex.

The thing that Trump is obviously good at is USING the media to generate excitement with the insignificant number of people who might be inclined to follow someone who has a racist, misogynist, anti-labor, demagogue, militarist message.  When you total it all up, I believe Trump has a following of around 10% (or so) of America’s voting public.  Why would we want to broadcast this as an exciting movement to our allies around the world at a time like this?  Honestly, there’s NO WAY it happens without the cooperation of our “liberal media.”  Clearly, Trump understands that sensationalism sells.  I’ve just focused on Todd and Matthews here, but there appears to be a long list of people trying to crowd into the line broadcasting nearly every word Trump spews at this point.  I had to turn the TV off the day I’m mentioning, but – on a so-called “news cast” – they were actually waiting for Trump to give a stump speech, somewhere in New Hampshire, and were going to broadcast it as if anything the man says is “news.”  This is all so unbelievable to me that I’m having a hard time accepting that it’s actually happening.  I keep thinking, is this simply a bad dream?

Of course, it would be the “family values,” “pro life,” “conservative,” republican party that would be the launching post for someone like Trump.  I mean the guy has screwed over who knows how many thousands of people in his multiple business BANKRUPTCIES, he’s on his third marriage (I’m not judging, I’m just “sayin”), he’s a casino owner (seriously, think about that one all you “Tea Partiers”), and he basically would be incompetent regarding how our government works! (OK, I realize that puts him in the same category as Reagan and GW Bush and many others – I’m sure my good friend, who I often have breakfast with on Saturdays would include Obama on that list)  He continues to generate “excitement” among the “base” with one outlandish (and racist) “proclamation” after another – seemingly, every time his “poll numbers” start to decline well, here comes another bombshell comment that we can count on people like Todd and Matthews parsing for days, and in some cases weeks.  This is all getting to the level of the absurd!

A couple weeks ago we had a HOME GROWN Christian TERRORIST shoot up a Planned Parenthood office in Colorado and, based on the “news” you would think it never happened.  A police officer (who was also a pastor), a Iraq war vet, and a young Mom were KILLED along with 9 people injured, and – basically – this act of terrorism managed to bypass our “liberal media.”  Of course, the massacre in San Bernadino has garnered the media’s attention – with the help of Trump’s anti-Muslim comments – 24/7.  I guess because this HOME GROWN TERRORIST was a Muslim, that made the San Bernadino murders more “newsworthy.”  Our media outlets have managed to get the FEAR FACTOR ginned up to bright red because of San Bernadino, but I certainly don’t remember the same results after Sandy Hook, or Umpqa Community College, or Virginia Tech, or – well, I could go on and on, because there’s been more mass shootings in America this year than days!  Yet, people like Todd and Matthews (and, of course, the Fox “news” people are worse along with just about every other broadcast outlet  – with the exception of Free Speech TV) would have us focused on San Bernadino (I don’t have to tell you the reason at this point – I hope) along with the racist comments of Donald Trump!

So, when I point out this nation (America) is on the “slippery slope” toward fascism, that’s what you should FEAR!  It really is time for the United States of America and her wannabe leaders to stop playing into the hands of terrorists around the world.  Also, it’s time “we the people” take a deep breath and realize how privileged we are and how the liberties granted us by our founders were hard fought and can only be given away – no one will take them away.  People like Trump and the other republicans running for the 2016 presidential nomination are like “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”  If we allow them to succeed America will be on its way to becoming a corporate dominated (I know, we’re almost there already) fascist state.  I would say to Chris Matthews, Donald Trump’s rhetoric is NOT entertaining, it is downright scary.  Many people have no idea what could lie ahead – and, in my view, that’s the role of our “liberal media” – not to be attempting to “be like Fox” – and, their laughable “fair and balanced” – and, not to be entertaining us (meaning “we the people”), but to be educating us to the real ramifications of what Trump (and the other republican candidates) represent.  As I said above, I’m not sure Chuck Todd understands how he’s being used by republicans, but I know for sure that Chris Matthews knows better!

America is thirsting for a change of direction that exposes the rip offs of the past 35+ years (remember, Ford pardoned Nixon, Bush 1 pardoned Reagan and the Iran/Contra bunch – which likely included himself, Clinton looked the other way regarding Bush’s role in Iran/Contra and Obama blocked ALL investigations of GW Bush/Cheney et al’s wrongdoing) and the sad reality is that America has become divided into the “haves” and the “have nots.”  Sadly (and predictably) the “haves” don’t seem to have any limits as to what they “want” (regarding sucking the wealth from the middle class) and the republicans (and some democrats) are willing to enable this behavior because they’ve been purchased by the very people who are destroying this nation.  Bernie Sanders is speaking DIRECTLY to the issues that have created this great economic inequality – but, you wouldn’t know it because, evidently he’s not very entertaining.  He’s also PULLING Hillary Clinton farther to the left – so, you’d think that if our media really is “liberal” they’d be at least covering something regarding Sanders and Clinton.  Our “liberal” media needs to wake up before it’s too late.  I can tell you with assurance, should people like Todd and Matthews (if that’s their goal) manage to prop up Trump or one of these other “clowns” (remember, the republican “field” for president has often been referred to as the “clown car”) to actually make it to the White House, the next few years WON’T be very entertaining!

I’ve had my issues with President Obama over his 7+ years in the White House, but I’ve always wanted him to succeed.  I’m thankful he’s the president right now and neither Mitt Romney or John McCain managed to defeat him in either one of the last two presidential elections.  It’s like there’s “an adult in the room” regarding the mega issues facing America in today’s messed up world.  And, in my view, the most serious issues are not defeating ISIL, but instead defeating the RIGHT WING extremists in America who are pushing this nation closer and closer to a fascist state.

Many people I know think a person is crazy when the idea that America could become a fascist state is broached.  They think anyone comparing our leaders to those of past generations leading fascist governments (ie Mussolini or Hitler) are way off base.  However, I’ve been following the disintegration of the republican party since the days of Ronald Reagan and I’ve been reading book after book on what is REALLY happening in this nation, and the reality does not look good.  In previous posts I’ve given examples of the definition of fascism – mainly focusing on what I call the “Mussolini line” – which is the corporate/government partnership.  It’s hard to deny that America is trending dangerously in this direction already.  I started clamoring the warnings within days of the Supreme Court’s dangerous and divisive decision titled “Citizens’ United” – which was the work of Mitch McConnell and his “ilk.”  That happened around the time President Obama was elected and by now most “progressives” understand how very dangerous that decision is.

At a time when one of our two political parties is more focused on the “FAILURE” of our president than the SUCCESS of our nation, it’s hard for me to understand why so many in our nation, and more particularly in our “liberal media,” don’t understand the gravity of the problem.  As I watch the political scene while the republicans are “ginning” up hate and fear in an atmosphere where that’s EXACTLY what our so-called “enemy” would want them to be doing, I have to wonder if the person who’s got me more concerned about the U.S. devolving into a fascist state, Donald Trump, isn’t correct.  I’ve heard him claim on more than one occasions that “The American public is STUPID.”  Each time I’ve heard him say that, almost by the next day his poll numbers go UP!  Go figure.  He accused the voters of Iowa of being stupid (apparently because he had temporarily fallen to #2 in the polls at the time) and the next day his “numbers” were up.  (Of course, I only had to think of the lady Iowa elected to the Senate last year to realize he’s more than likely correct).

In my naive, optimistic heart, I can’t bring myself to believe the people who are supporting the “Tea Party” and Donald Trump really understand what they’re supporting.  I’ve got friends who, well, it’s been a couple years since our discussions, when I pointed out the racist nature of the “Tea Party”  and they were unable to understand this.  They consider themselves “conservatives” and somehow were identifying with the “Tea Party” with what I called “selective vetting.”  They were unable to connect all the racists signs and hate signs that appeared at all the anti-Obama “Tea Party” rallies – before President Obama had done more than take the oath of office – as racist induced.  I’m not sure what they’re thinking at this time (if you’ve ever had a conversation with someone who considers what they hear on Fox “news” as actually being “news” you know what I mean when I say it’s difficult to even have a conversation with them about politics) but Donald Trump is a bit less covert than the usual republican racist candidate.  (If you’re not old enough to remember, Ronald Reagan – the messiah to the right wing – [and, I’ll have a lot more to say about him on a soon to be posted rant – had his “kick off” to his presidential campaign – the first successful one] – in Philadelphia Mississippi – most of my “conservative” friends are still, to this day, unable to understand the significance and the imagery sent to racists of that choice for a political “launch pad.”   For a “counter example,” President Obama launched his campaign in Springfield Illinois at the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.)

Let’s consider Trump here for a bit – and, remember, something like a third of the “likely republican voters” are supporting him at this time, and the other “candidates” (are there really any candidates?) say they will support him should he manage to gain the nomination.  Trump started his campaign with a vicious attack on Mexican Americans and claiming he, if elected, will round up 11 MILLION “illegals” and deport them from the country.  (Of course, when asked how he will do this his answer is something along the lines of “it’s a secret,” or “I’m smart,” or – honestly – I’ve got no idea how he’s going to do this.)  He is also going to end (so he says – I’m really curious if “we the  people” will let him) “birthright citizenship” – meaning, if you’re born in America that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a citizen.  I’m really not sure what he means by that, but my suspicion would be he wants to maybe take away President Obama’s citizenship – as he’s been at the forefront of the so-called (and disgraceful) “birther” movement.  But, that’s not all!

Donald Trump, of “The Donald” as some refer to him, will “register” all the Muslims in America.  Not sure what he’s planning to do with this “registry” – but, is this even starting to remind you of anything?  Have you studied any recent world history?  Do you know anything about the Third Reich and the rise of Hitler in the 30’s and how he came to power?  I know it sounds far fetched – but, I’m just saying – if it looks like a duck, call it a duck!  And, how do you think he’ll get “rid” of ISIL?  If “we the people” should allow someone like this to even gain a nomination to our nation’s highest office what kind of message do you think this would send to the rest of the world?  We’re already in the process of destroying ALL the good will we EARNED through the defeat of Germany in the two “World Wars” – through the actions of previous republican presidents (ie – Reagan and GW Bush/Cheney) and the despicable rhetoric that permeates the present day republican campaign “trail.”  (It’s not just Trump)

Of course, while I’m writing this post I hear that now Trump has proposed blocking America’s border to ALL Muslim’s “until our leaders figure out what the hell is going on.” (or something along those lines)  I even heard him say (which, supposedly he later “backtracked” a bit – it that’s possible for Trump) that American citizens who worship the Muslim faith and who are traveling abroad should not be allowed back into the country.  Supposedly, he’s going to propose some kind of religious “test” for people going through customs who are legally coming into this country.  (Of course, Jeb Bush proposed something similar, only it was to let in the Christians!  What’s with these guys – do they really not understand what they’re proposing?)  And, what about the members of our military who are Muslims?  Will they be prevented from coming into the country from, say, fighting in the Middle East?  When discussing all this Trump even likened his thinking to the internment camps Japanese Americans (another part of our shameful history) were placed in during the second World War as being an option for Muslims.  You know, good enough for FDR, good enough for Donald Trump – I guess!

I’ve been pointing out for years that the American republican party and their “cohorts” (ie – Fox “news,” Rush Limbaugh – and his underlings – yes, I’m talking about you Lars Larsen – and, all the paid “pundits” who will espouse the so-called “talking points” for money) have been practicing Joseph Goebbels’ “Big Lie Theory” for years.  That is, if you publicly repeat a lie often enough (and in enough different settings) people will believe it’s the truth.  That’s how they’ve managed to turn the word “liberal,” for example, into a somewhat toxic word in the American political discourse (when EVERY good advance in our history, that benefits “we the people” has come from liberal activists).  They’ve succeeded in brainwashing the American public to believe that our corporate media (owned by right wing corporations almost entirely) is “liberal.”  Now, they’re hammering “we the people” that our president, Barrack Obama, is “weak,” while Donald Trump is “strong.”

When you put all this together, and you consider that Karl Rove, for years, has been proclaiming the forthcoming “permanent republican ‘majority,'” – I hope you can see where we’re going here.  I really don’t think the republican “establishment” will allow Donald Trump to gain the nomination (although a fitting conclusion to expelling him from the party would be he would run a “third party” campaign – wouldn’t that be interesting?) but, the reality is that the other “candidates” aren’t a whole lot better.  From my vantage point, these people (including the financiers who are doling out the “big bucks”) are quietly moving America in the direction of a fascist state.  Donald Trump’s despicable rhetoric is not the reason I’m saying this – although, he brings reality to light.  They’ve been surreptitiously leading us in this direction since the days of Ronald Reagan.  I believe that when Reagan talked about government being “the problem” it was because these people despise “democracy.”  They are on record as saying the fewer people who vote, the better they do.  Their attack on the right to vote has been endless.  They DON’T HATE government, they simply want to CONTROL it, lock, stock and barrel.  As I mentioned above, if it “talks like a duck, quacks like a duck, call it what it is – a duck!”  Donald Trump is simply exposing the republican’s plan to turn America into a fascist (corporate run) state!

If you’re a progressive, or even a moderate (or a rational republican) and you don’t rush to the polls to vote against this attack on the foundation of our nation in the next election, SHAME ON YOU!  I’ve said many times on this site – I’m not pro-democratic – it’s just that the republicans as they are presently constituted MUST GO!  We the people MUST vote as many of them out of office as possible.  And, we need to replace them with progressive minded public servants who are obligated to “we the people” and not the moneyed interests who have so terribly corrupted our present Congress.  And, this idea that every democrat or every republican vote in “lock step” with their party – is TRULY un-American!  That also, (and, by the way, that’s the creed of these republicans no matter who gets the nomination) is one of the things that originally got me visualizing 1930’s Germany (or Italy or Spain) when I heard about the “pledge.” (my own congressperson – a republican – was threatened with censorship for voting her conscience on five occasions out of over 500 votes!)

Every day people recognize how serious the problem is, they just have no idea how to solve it – it does seem impossible.  I’ll say it once more – the first step is to vote out as many republicans from Congress as possible and make sure none of these wack jobs running for their nomination for president in 2016 wins.  Then the job of “we the people will be to transform the Democratic party back into the progressive organization it was during the New Deal and the Great Society.  In other words, America’s middle class needs to stop getting snaffooed by right wing wedge issues and stop voting against their own best interests!  For those of you who were fooled years ago by Ronald Reagan, I’ll have a post soon that “tells it like it is” regarding the right wing’s “messiah.”  It was his election, in my view, that set the stage for the predicament that we now find ourselves.  It’s time to start talking about Reagan’s presidency TRUTHFULLY!